Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Aug 09, 2025 2 days, 7 hours, 11 minutes ago
Medical News: New Research Raises Concerns
A major new study has found that people who have had COVID-19 face a higher risk of developing thyroid cancer, especially if they later suffer from thyroid-related problems such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. The research was conducted by scientists from Taichung Veterans General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, China Medical University, Yuanlin Christian Hospital, and Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology.
COVID 19 Linked to Higher Risk of Thyroid Cancer
Using health records from the TriNetX global database, which covers 151 healthcare organizations worldwide, researchers compared over 2.17 million adults with confirmed COVID-19 to an equally matched group without the infection. None of the participants had a history of thyroid cancer or had been vaccinated against COVID-19 before the study began. The results, as revealed in this
Medical News report, show a clear statistical link between COVID-19 and later thyroid cancer development.
Key Findings of the Study
The analysis found that individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 were more likely to be diagnosed with thyroid cancer at least one year after their infection compared to those who never had COVID-19. The risk was notably higher in men and in people aged between 41 and 60 or over 60.
One of the most striking findings was that patients who developed hyperthyroidism after COVID-19 were more than twice as likely to get thyroid cancer compared to non-COVID patients, while those with hypothyroidism faced an 83% higher risk. Even when comparing only people with thyroid problems, those who had COVID-19 still showed a far greater chance of cancer than those who never caught the virus.
Possible Reasons Behind the Link
Scientists believe there may be several reasons for this connection. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can directly infect thyroid tissue because the thyroid has high levels of ACE2 receptors, which the virus uses to enter cells. The infection also triggers widespread inflammation and “cytokine storms,” which may encourage the growth of cancer cells. The virus may even interfere with key tumor-suppressing proteins in the body.
Another factor could be the increased number of medical scans COVID-19 patients receive, which may detect thyroid tumors earlier. However, the researchers point out that even after adjusting for such possibilities, the link between COVID-19 and thyroid cancer remained strong.
Implications and Warnings
This study adds to growing evidence that COVID-19 is not only a respiratory disease but can have long-term effects on many organs, including the thyroid. People who have had COVID-19—especially men and those who later develop thyroid disorders—may benefit from regular thyroid health checks.
The findings are important for healthcare providers, as they suggest a need for greater awareness and possibly earlier screening for thyroid cancer in certa
in post-COVID patients. While the study cannot prove that COVID-19 directly causes thyroid cancer, the association is strong enough to warrant further investigation.
These results also highlight how COVID-19 may have hidden health impacts that emerge years later, underlining the importance of long-term medical follow-up for survivors. With millions worldwide infected since the pandemic began, even a small increase in thyroid cancer risk could mean a large number of new cases in the future.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Biomedicines.
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/8/1933
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Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/getting-a-thyroid-ultrasound-in-the-post-covid-era-is-a-must
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/polish-medical-researchers-warn-that-covid-19-is-triggering-thyroid-cancers
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/viral-infections-including-covid-19-and-thyroid-cancer-a-new-threat-emerges
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